The whole reason I mentioned the young Mozart's ability to play pieces perfectly after one listen is precisely because it had nothing to do with practice: the man was a natural born freak. That's what I'm trying to impress on you. Your incredulity at the ability of some of these geniuses to compose at such an early age is understandable, but the fact remains that they could and did.

Sorry, you said listening and practicing before, not composing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Womble

Even if you're referring only to the exact mechanics and trajectory, I still disagree. Everyone's different. All these top guys - Vinnie, Tony, Buddy, Jojo - they've all got or had ridiculous hands, and their sticks all move differently. You could watch a video of their hands only and know instantly who was playing.

No reason we can't do the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Womble

This little statement is all important. In your first post you claimed anyone could, given time, 'play like Vinnie'. Now you seem to have stepped back and are saying that anyone could move their sticks like Vinnie (whatever that means) but that they probably couldn't create like him, i.e. they couldn't emulate his feel, groove, phrasing, ideas, touch, etc. These being the things, of course, which really make a drummer. I'm more comfortable with what you're now saying, though I still disagree.

Not stepping back, just clarifying.

I'm most notorious for copying other drummers, and a good portion of my income is derived from that specific function. But I don't fool myself into thinking that I create like those drummers. I have the luxury of replicating parts and styles without having to invent them. Believe me, I'm very sensitive to the difference between the two. So when I said 'play like Vinnie', I didn't mean 'do what Vinnie does'... I meant play. There's a difference.